WOYWW

Sadly.... a mess that is getting sorted into ....boxes.  That's what's happening on Wednesday over here.  Welcome WOYWWers.... sorry for the mess... c'mon in anyway..............and, don't step on anything important okay.  Olaf is watching...... he's always watching.  And...can you believe I still can't show you the 'secret' things I was making....oh, man..no fun at all.  People are not home, gifts not received..etc.... I hope to show you something soon.  Maybe just few days now.... fingers crossed.

Nothing going on the 'making' department. I'm packing up my craft room in readiness for our renovation...which will include painting this room.  Sigh....  we don't even have a start date yet, but if you know how long it takes to pack up years worth of stuff in order to vacate the whole floor of a house....well, you know.....

I need to make a start.  A really good start.  Small stuff will go into the storage area... a very large storage area under a newer area of the house that we added several years ago....(we've been renovating for 24 years, yeh, I know....)   ..the rest will go into the garage as well as down here.  I hope it all fits somewhere.  At least this time we don't have to sleep in the garage ...we did on the big reno about 15 years ago...hahahha...there we were stuffed between motorcycles and house plants...our clothes hanging on the garage door opener rails.... washing dishes in a bucket.....



This time...we will be living on the lower floor of the house... the basement actually, but our basement is lovely and bright and will be just fine.  Although, we will be using the laundry room for a kitchen/laundry room/bathroom... there is a toilet in there.  Here, look it is a very nice laundry room..it's not as bad as it sounds.
A nice sink for washing up .... cupboards for toiletries and other small stuff ...

...space for electric frying pan, toaster oven and crockpot.... I could live here for a year if I had to....but, it won't be that long.....

We did this room a few years ago.. all by ourselves...right from the cement out .... including a ceiling....and we're pretty proud of our handiwork,  but, this time...somebody else will be doing the grunt work.  My back won't take it any more... and of course, my wrecked elbow....and poor Mr. BV wrecked a knee on the last one...so... yeh... time to let others do it.  It'll be hard to let the reins go though...reeeeellly hard..... just one more thing that lets me know I am getting ..... o..oh...oh, how I hate to say it out loud ...older......

I'm trying to pack up a small box with little things I can work on during the time... big enough to contain entertaining bits and yet small enough to carry around to wherever my 'desk' happens to be on any given day during the disaster.

Oh, I so hope it isn't a disaster of any kind.  That's the reason we began doing it all ourselves in the first place.  We had no luck at all with contractors and tradespeople ...none at all.  Some of the the stories just make my blood boil.  Not going to think on it...just think about packing up dolls ...bears....stuff.....and more STUFF!@  That does it ...I'm purging.

Hmmm...somebody doesn't look too happy about being boxed.... even if I am building a box tall enough for her!  This is my tallest doll at 26 inches.... it was for a challenge to do a Raggedy with a twist.  I did her as a ballerina...

If you want to see more desks, workspaces and more about what people are dong with their spare time...hahhah...and every other minute too.... check out WOYWW over at Julia's...

WOYWW

Hi WOYWW snoopers.... c'mon in!

The Viking has done with guarding and keeping things secret....and no, sorry.... still can't show you what the heck was under his care.  But, now, all of a sudden he wants attention.  Seems he has tidied and cleared away most of my desk actually.  Good thing, because I needed some help.  Soon it'll be totally packed away in preparation for our renovation.

He is barking commands at me in some language I don't understand.... but, finally I figured out it is something about his scratty friend here who's lost an eye... needs surgery.... ... or somehow they think I should just re-insert the thing......

Well actually, it is my fault.  I never did actually stitch the eyes in when I was completing the poor little guy...a very bad habit of mine.  Almost every single bear, doll or rabbit, in this case... needs some little thing fixing, finishing or fastening.... I get them to the photographing stage and then.....that's it.  They just sit there and somehow I forget they still need finishing.

Sigh.... I'm a dirty, rotten, procrastinator.....it's in my nature....

But, not today.... Olaf is insisting...

As a matter of fact...he is really getting up in my face about it all.... sheeesh....

That's it....I'm off to get my upholstery thread and permanently stitch in some eyes.... not only for poor Scratty Eddy...but, at least two other characters... and, maybe I'll just finish up some stuffing openings on a few other guys while I'm at it .......yeh...that's it.  It'll make me feel good.
Now where did they put the darn eye? ...

oh.... alright...I see it....

How would you like to see what dozens of other crafters are up to?  Check out the list over at Julie's blog.... surf around and have a peek at other desks and worktables.... some fun stuff to see...

WOYWW

...... still under wraps ....... off limits.... no can do....

Sorry.

Olaf is just as adamant as ever ..... actually standing on top of it all to make sure nobody sees much yet.....

....even the coffee table looks about the same...

just seems to be paper.  Everywhere.

Maybe some of the other WOYWW participants will have more to show...more to tell.... check over at Julie's place ...there are many to see.

Mine still must remain secret... for some time yet.....due to ..., erm....uh...... ahem......  can't exactly say why...... certain circumstances, ..... and, ah... um ... well, ...     eventually ... Olaf and I will spill the beans..... but, not today.

WOYWW

I'd like to show you WO(mY)WW.   Really, I would.  But I can't.

Apparently it's off limits.

hahhaha  ......  now what dwarf put that there?

Oh,.......I see......

Olaf.   Always been trouble, that guy.

 Never fuss with him.  He means business.  He has a bit of a temper to go along with that fiery red hair..

And....a sharp pointy spear.

What's under there? ....... sheeeeeesh..... even I'd like to know and it's my desk!!

However, there are many others not being held ransom by tiny Vikings.... and they will gladly show you their desks for WOYWW..... ( What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday )     ....head over to Julie's to see the ever growing list ......and hey... maybe you want to play along? ...

WOYWW

She's finished!!  My copycat goosie...... with tips and advice and even the wool !! from my friend Gretel... a world class felter, artist and now... published author of a children's book... Mrs. Mouse's Cupcakes... for which she felted all the characters and even the cupcakes for the photos in the book!
If you live in the UK... ... you could even get in on one of her in person felting workshops!!  And, I'll be green with envy!

If you want to see progression photos from the balls of wool stage to this..... ... just backtrack a few posts... cover your eyes at the bloody one.... hehehe........ ...it happens..... occasionally, if not often ...
Gretel's goose in the background photo ...mine in front.  Think I will name her Gracie.
She is seven inches tall at the top most part of her neck/head area.  How tall is yours Gretel? .

My little guys were impressed by her sheer height..oh, and also her feet.......

Tuffy was hoping she didn't decide to get up and go anywhere........

From Ruggles' perspective .... view of the situation.... and little Buttercup just looks on in awe of the long, lean model on the runway....

Here is how a needle felt begins....  a bag of wool... and there are many types along with a huge array of colours (or you can dye your own ... I've even used Kool-Aid to do that) .... from various breeds of sheep....
Here is the wool Gretel sent me back when I began my project.  She declared that the stuff I was using was never going to work.  hahah....thanks Gretel... for taking pity on me.  I love it.  It's like having a second sister...

You also need some barbed needles to stab, gather and shape the wool into various parts before assembly.  A pen holder like this one is a good idea instead of trying to hold the tiny ends of a needle...just too hard on hands and wrist.  This particular one will hold up to 3 needles... you can also use only two for the smaller pieces or even go down to just one for tiny things or for the finishing ...

This 'copycat' mentality is what got me started on needle felting in the first place several years ago.  Could I make a little bear as cute as Norm was making? the first ones I'd seen .. .. and that I just had to buy on e-bay?... because after the first two I bought  .. the third one got into a bidding war and I paid waaay too much for him.  When he arrived in the mail, I carried him around for a day just looking at him... totally in awe... he was so cute and so tiny ... well, ...that was it.  I was hooked before I even found some wool and needles and tried to make one for myself.  Hahaha... and the first was pretty funny ... looked more like a monkey than a bear..but I finally got him to look sort of okay and was pretty thrilled that I had made my very own little guy.  However, I have to say.....I still want to own at least one of Gretel's creations... yep...I do.

For the WOYWW we are supposed to keep our posting short...but, eh..... just wanted to also tell you about my doll making start.  Almost the same thing.  For months I had wondered if perhaps I could make a doll.  One just like "youknowwho"....  and.....  had to give it a try.  Turned out I could.  I did.  She worked out beyond my wildest dreams for a first....and from an online course actually.  How I loved the little personal challenge of the attempt.   I don't think I have much imagination of my own really ...but, I love to try making some of the things I see others doing.

Here's my first doll .... Echlin... from a Sherry Goshen pattern.  Wow... back in '07 already  .... hmmm...time sure flies....

The painting of the faces was the most intriguing part to me.  I'd never tried anything like it in my life.  But, there were about 18 pages of pics and instructions... you just follow along and all of a sudden...a face appears... absolutely amazing to me!  We also made the little chair.  It was supposed to be made by cutting and cleaning a big dirty old gourd.... I just couldn't bring myself to use one.  Instead I just made a paper clay shape over a shallow bowl and went from there. ... lined it with silk and made some flowers from paperclay as well... and voila.  My first doll!  Pretty darn thrilling to me.

If you want to check out blogs of others participating in WOYWW....go to Julia's blog and see our list of bloggers...wow...it gets longer each week....

WOYWW(T)

Missed it.  The day that is.  Wednesday came and Wednesday went.... just like that! Snap... sooooo ....I added the T in brackets for Thursday...cute hey?  hahaha...oh, alright ...it's no big deal...but I kinda like it and thought I was being pretty humorous.

I haven't done much at all with anything crafty since last week.  All I managed to do is stitch into place a gusset on the head of my guy.

Here is the head with the 'gusset' in place.  That is the part on the top of the head that gives the head some width and some shape.  Different shaped gussets totally change the shape of the finished head.  However, they all look strange to me before they are stuffed.
Doesn't it look like a crocodile shape to you?  It does to me.  Always ...even when I make totally different shapes of gussets.

 Many of the other WOYWW participants will have much more to keep you intrigued.... check them out.... perhaps join in the fun...

WOYWW

Almost missed it!  It's after 11 at night.....

But... if I want to play...I must try to be regular...so here I am.  Better late than not at all I guess.

A friend came on Saturday to get some pointers on making a bear of her own.  I found some old pattern pieces I had cut over a year ago... and managed to put a head together while she did some stitching.  It's not a bear...... but, actually from the look of it ....well, hey...it could be anything at this point, right?

We yakked and laughed and had some fun.  Oh, and some biscotti too...

more pieces .... just hanging out ....waiting for some stitching......

If you look closely..you will see that I traced my pieces with a ballpoint pen.  Don't do that. Especially on white fabric.  It might show through the fabric at a later date.  And, if it gets wet... there could even be some dye leaching into the fabric from the ink.  I do some dumb things sometimes...and now...I am stitching in from the edge further than I usually do...so that I can just trim off the lines.  More work.  But, that's me for ya some days.  Duh......

I won't do it again.... .. honest.... ...


If you would like to play along with us on WOYWW ...why not head over to Julia's Stamping Ground and see what it's all about? ..

WOYWW

Found this tiny needle felted mousie (and the panda head too; he wonders.. can he have a nose please? ) during the whirlwind week of desk tidying.  Sort of 'forgot' where I put her too in the wildness of it all.  Oh, man....somehow I must get more organized.  And then...must give away some of the stuff I just never get around to using.  We know we won't be able to ever do the many and varied crafty things we want to try...but, we keep on trying ...don't we? ..

But, this week, I am definitely looking in all the bags and boxes and containers to  make sure exactly what I do have. ...and there she was. Half finished. .... well, more than half actually...but, I do wonder what I was using for that dainty pink of her toesies.... hmmm.... maybe I'll come across some of whatever it was if I continue to tidy. I know it was not wool...I have never had any pink wool. I'm sure of that. Nobody will want a mousie with only one or 2 toes...must find it....

She doesn't look much different from my little felted bears... although, if turned sideways...she does have a bit of a longer and point-ier snout.... and those are just test eyes and a test nose.... on pins. To check for size and placement.  She is just all pinned together and her little flower pinned on too...

And, they are not even on my workdesk.  They are hanging out on the dining room table...so I don't forget about them.  They want action.  And, they want it now.  Good for them.  So tiny and yet so insistent...ahhahha.... kind of remind me of me.
Karen stopped by and asked if they were felted.... and I thought I should just pop back to say...yes..they are.  See that little bit of purplish fluff at the front of the foam block they are sitting on?... that is how she began.  Needle felting is bits of wool that have been stabbed ...many hundreds and thousands of times with a barbed needle...til you get them into the shapes you want.  Then I join the limbs and head to the body with upholstery thread.  The eyes are black onyx beads and the noses will be embroidered with Perle cotton.  The pink bits...I'm not sure...hahha...but, I think they were tufts of rayon pulled from some pieces of fluffy rayon fabric... and then needled in.  I have discovered that all sorts of things felt up alright..

Aha.  She found him a nose.  Too tiny.  Makes him look more like a racoon....but, it'll keep them happy for now.

I have no idea how it can possibly be Wednesday again...already.  This is craziness.  Another week shot.  Warp speed.  Sigh...

Check out all the other ladies and their workdesks at Janet's on a Wednesday...

WOYWW

Hahahha...if you haven't heard it or seen it before it could throw you for a loop, eh?  What's on Your Workdesk.  Wednesday...   


I see it on Twig's blog every Wednesday...and she, and her sister, are always sooooo busy... it boggles my poor little mind.


This is my workdesk today and has been for months now.....my kitchen counter.  Yep. That's about it.  

 Seems to me all I've been doing is baking and cooking.  Which I do enjoy...but.... I must try to get back to some sort of crafting and fun stuff.... and soon.  When one bakes...and eats; one must spend an inordinate amount of time working out to get rid of excess calories!


After golf season (which was waaaay back in early October!) and my extremely painful elbow...I could not do any small things with finger and thumb at all!  And... now... just seem to have grown away from it all.... no motivation or inclination to do much of anything...and my elbow still is pretty painful if I try to use my hand.  Last time at physio they froze my elbow and my neck and upper scapular muscles...supposedly to try to break the pain loop, damage the muscles a bit and try to initiate more of a healing response.  So far...all it did is produce a huge lump on my upper back...and a painful lump on the lateral epicondyle of my elbow area... fingers crossed.  Oh, yeh...hahhah.... and the young sports medicine doctor jabbed her own finger, had to retire to her office for a brief time out and to get a new needle ... I had a laugh at her expense.   


This is my workdesk today.... all tidy and waiting for somebody to play in there.  Can you tell an ex dental assistant lives here?  hahahhah.... All the tools of the bear and doll making trade...neatly aligned, organized and just waiting to be used.  Look...I even splurged and bought a pair of Ginghers, (yikes! the $$$$$ )  Those pretty patterned ones.... blue and yellows, see 'em?  Can hardly wait to try using them.  But...on what?  

Today ...it will be Banana Chocolate chip muffins.  Check out my other blog for more recipes some time.  Mr. BV likes to take a muffin in his lunches and I try to make sure he has a few choices in the freezer.  Who wants to take the same muffin 8 days in a row?  Right now the only ones in there are strawberry ... so today's will be a nice addition.


There are lots of interesting blogs to see on WOYWW.  Check them out here.  All of a sudden...you are hopping here there and everywhere from those as well...ooohhhhhh it boggles ..... but, I have found two neat tutorials already, what fun!  I definitely want to try the pincushion/box I hopped to from one other blog ... maybe that could be my jump starter....